AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL INVESTIGATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BEING A SINGLE PARENT AND POVERTY

Öz

Single parenting has been a growing type of family structure both in Western countries and Eastern ones. Changing economic and social conditions have contributed to this growth. Poverty or worsening welfare is also a growing concern in society. This study, therefore, investigates whether being a single parent is associated with a poverty risk. To do so, The Current Population Survey (CPS) which is a commonly used data source applied in social science from Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) database were utilised. Being a reliable source with large sample sizes and various subjects covered in the U.S. population makes IPUMS widely preferable data source with micro level data on individuals and household. This empirical investigation, therefore, relies on IPUMS CPS data to explain poverty risk of single parents. Findings reveal that being a single parent is significantly associated with being below the poverty line. Additionally, sex, age, employment status, education level, race, and citizenship status were found to be significant to explain poverty.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Single-parent family
• poverty risk
• IPUMS CPS

TEK EBEVEYN OLMAK İLE YOKSULLUK İLİŞKİSİ ÜZERİNE BİREYSEL DÜZEYDE BİR İNCELEME

Öz

Tek ebeveynlik, hem Batı ülkelerinde hem de Doğu ülkelerinde büyüyen bir aile yapısı türü olmuştur. Değişen ekonomik ve sosyal koşullar bu büyümeye katkıda bulunmuştur. Yoksulluk veya kötüleşen refah da toplumda artan bir endişe kaynağıdır. Bu nedenle bu çalışma, bekâr bir ebeveyn olmanın yoksulluk riski ile ilişkili olup olmadığını araştırmaktadır. Bunun için, Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) veri tabanından sosyal bilimlerde uygulanan ve yaygın olarak kullanılan bir veri kaynağı olan Current Population Survey (CPS) kullanılmıştır. Büyük örneklem boyutları ve ABD popülasyonunda kapsanan çeşitli konularla güvenilir bir kaynak olması, bireyler ve hanehalkı hakkında mikro düzeyde veriler içeren IPUMS'u yaygın olarak tercih edilen bir veri kaynağı haline getirmektedir. Dolayısıyla bu ampirik araştırma, bekar ebeveynlerin yoksulluk riskini açıklamak için IPUMS CPS verilerine dayanmaktadır. Bulgular, tek ebeveyn olmanın yoksulluk sınırının altında olmakla önemli ölçüde ilişkili olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Ayrıca cinsiyet, yaş, çalışma durumu, eğitim düzeyi, ırk ve vatandaşlık durumunun da yoksulluğu açıklamada anlamlı olduğu bulunmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• tek ebeveynli aile
• yoksulluk riski
• IPUMS CPS

Kaynakça

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